Types of Keywords in SEO with Examples (How to Find Them)

Keywords are the backbone of any SEO strategy. They are the bridge between what people search for and the content you provide to meet that need. Without the right keywords, even the best content might remain invisible to your audience.

This article explores the various types of keywords in SEO, categorized by search intent, length, SEO role, and targeting purpose. Each type plays a unique role in shaping content strategy, improving search visibility, and driving qualified traffic. You’ll also discover how to find each keyword type, understand when to use them, and learn why they matter for search engine rankings and conversions.

Using real-world examples, SEO tools, and proven methods, we’ll walk through a practical, data-driven approach that will help you choose the right keywords for every stage of your content funnel. Whether you’re optimizing blog posts, product pages, or local services, this guide will equip you with everything you need to know.

Types of Keywords by Search Intent

Search intent refers to the purpose behind a user’s query. Understanding intent allows you to align your content with what the searcher truly wants, improving both engagement and rankings.

1. Informational Keywords

Informational keywords are used when people are looking to learn something rather than buy or take immediate action. These are common in blog posts, guides, how-tos, and FAQs.

For example, someone searching for “how to train a puppy” or “what is SEO” is seeking knowledge. These keywords often appear at the top of the marketing funnel, where users are exploring topics.

They’re essential for building topical authority and attracting a broader audience. Google often rewards sites that offer comprehensive, accurate, and helpful content for these terms with higher visibility in featured snippets or People Also Ask boxes.

How to Find Informational Keywords

Start by using tools like AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, or Google’s People Also Ask. These platforms show common questions and educational topics people are actively searching for.

You can also explore Quora, Reddit, and forums within your niche. Look at what your target audience is asking and the vocabulary they use. Additionally, Google Search Console can reveal question-based queries already bringing users to your site.

Why Informational Keywords Are Important

Informational keywords are critical for brand awareness and topical relevance. A study by Backlinko revealed that long-form, informative content ranks higher on average and earns more backlinks, especially when targeting educational queries.

They help establish your site as a trusted resource, which leads to improved dwell time, return visits, and trust signals, all of which impact rankings indirectly.

2. Navigational Keywords

Navigational keywords are used when a user wants to find a specific website or brand. For example, searches like “HubSpot blog” or “Facebook login” are clearly intended to reach a known destination.

They often include brand names or product names and signal strong intent to engage with a specific source.

How to Find Navigational Keywords

Use your site’s internal search data or tools like SEMrush’s Organic Research to see what branded queries your audience already uses. Google Analytics and Search Console can also uncover terms that include your brand or product names.

Competitor research can also reveal how people are looking for similar businesses in your space.

Should You Target Navigational Keywords?

Navigational keywords are more relevant for branded SEO and reputation management. While they don’t typically attract new audiences, they help ensure that when people search for your name, you control the narrative and dominate the first page.

Owning these keywords with well-optimized landing pages, profiles, and support articles ensures your audience finds what they’re looking for without bouncing to third-party sources.

3. Commercial Keywords

Commercial keywords show that a user is considering a product or service but hasn’t made a decision yet. Queries like “best project management software” or “top DSLR cameras for beginners” indicate interest and intent to compare.

These keywords are commonly found in listicles, product comparisons, or review-style articles.

How to Find Commercial Keywords

Use modifiers like “best,” “top,” “vs,” or “review” in keyword research tools such as Ahrefs or SEMrush. These platforms highlight search volume, competition, and content gaps where your brand can rank.

Explore autocomplete suggestions and related searches on Google. These reveal how users frame decision-making queries.

Why Commercial Keywords Are Valuable

Commercial keywords are powerful because they sit in the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey. Content that targets these terms can influence purchase decisions and attract users closer to converting.

Statistics from CXL show that review and comparison articles increase conversion rates by up to 50% when properly aligned with user intent and product benefits.

4. Transactional Keywords

Transactional keywords signal the strongest intent to take actions typically to buy, sign up, or download. Phrases like “buy iPhone 14,” “download SEO template,” or “order flowers online” are classic examples.

These keywords are ideal for landing pages, product pages, and sales funnels.

How to Find Transactional Keywords

Look for keywords with commercial modifiers such as “buy,” “discount,” “order,” “coupon,” or “sign up.” Use keyword research tools with intent filters and check what phrases competitors are ranking for in the bottom-funnel pages.

Google Ads Keyword Planner is particularly useful here since it reflects queries associated with high ad spend and conversion intent.

Why Transactional Keywords Drive Conversions

These keywords are tied directly to revenue-generating pages. People searching with transactional intent are ready to act, making this the most conversion-rich keyword group.

According to Think with Google, over 50% of mobile users are more likely to purchase from companies whose sites show up at the moment they’re ready to buy. Missing out on these keywords can mean losing high-intent traffic to competitors.

Types of Keywords by Length

Keyword length impacts competitiveness, search volume, and targeting precision. Breaking down keywords by length helps you balance reach and relevance more effectively.

1. Short-Tail Keywords

Short-tail keywords are 1–2 words long and tend to have high search volume and high competition. Examples include “shoes” or “marketing.”

These are broad and often lack clear search intent, making them less suitable for conversions but useful for brand exposure.

How to Find Short-Tail Keywords

Use seed keyword tools like Ubersuggest, or extract head terms from longer queries using tools like KeywordTool.io. Analyze trends and seasonality in Google Trends to see how these terms fluctuate in popularity.

When to Use Short-Tail Keywords

They are best used in category pages, homepage optimization, or when aiming to rank for broad topics. While competitive, they offer potential for brand visibility and traffic if supported by a strong domain authority.

2. Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are phrases with three or more words that are highly specific. Queries like “best shoes for flat feet men” or “how to do content gap analysis” fall into this category.

They usually have lower search volume but higher intent and lower competition.

How to Find Long-Tail Keywords

Use Google’s autocomplete, People Also Ask, and Ahrefs’ Questions tool to surface long-form variations. These are especially useful for targeting voice search and featured snippets.

Why Long-Tail Keywords Improve SEO

Long-tail keywords account for over 70% of all web searches, according to Moz. They allow for precise targeting, better alignment with user intent, and more opportunities for ranking, especially for newer websites without high authority.

They also improve content specificity and help establish authority on niche topics.

3. Mid-Tail Keywords (Are They Worth Targeting?)

Mid-tail keywords are 2–3 word phrases that strike a balance between volume and specificity. Phrases like “email marketing tools” or “budget DSLR camera” are common examples.

They’re less competitive than short-tail and more general than long-tail, offering a strategic middle ground.

These keywords are ideal for both listicles and category pages. While not always conversion-focused, they draw qualified traffic with moderate intent.

Studies suggest that pages optimized for mid-tail terms see higher time-on-site and lower bounce rates, making them useful for growing engagement while still ranking competitively.

Types of Keywords by Role in SEO

Keywords don’t just vary by intent or length, they also serve different roles within a structured SEO strategy. From foundational seed terms to supporting semantic variations, understanding these roles helps build strong, optimized content architecture.

1. Seed Keywords

Seed keywords are the core terms that define your niche. They are usually short, general terms that form the foundation of keyword research, content planning, and topical mapping.

Examples include “fitness,” “SEO,” or “digital marketing.” These keywords aren’t necessarily the ones you’ll target directly, but they help generate more specific keyword ideas.

How to Find Seed Keywords

Begin by brainstorming what your website is about. Use tools like SEMrush Keyword Magic Tool, Google Keyword Planner, or Ahrefs to discover the primary terms related to your industry.

Look at competitor homepages, product categories, and navigation menus, these often highlight common seed terms.

Why Seed Keywords Are Foundational

Seed keywords act as topic pillars. They guide your content clusters and allow you to build topical authority through strategic internal linking.

By starting with seed terms, you ensure that your keyword research remains aligned with your core offerings. This approach also helps Google understand your site’s relevance within a broader semantic context.

2. Primary Keywords

Primary keywords are the main terms a page is trying to rank for. Each page should focus on a single primary keyword to avoid cannibalization and confusion in search rankings.

For example, a blog titled “How to Build an Email List” would use that phrase or a close variation as its primary keyword.

How to Identify Primary Keywords

Use keyword research tools to find terms with a balance of volume, low to medium difficulty, and relevance to your audience. Consider user intent, SERP features, and the competition for each phrase.

It’s important to match your content format to the keyword. If the top-ranking results are mostly guides or tutorials, your content should follow suit.

Why Primary Keywords Matter

Primary keywords directly impact your page’s SEO visibility. They signal the main focus of your content and help search engines determine relevance.

A study by Ahrefs found that pages ranking in the top 10 for their primary keyword often rank for hundreds of related terms, showing the cascading effect of well-optimized targeting.

3. Secondary Keywords

Secondary keywords are supporting phrases that complement your primary keyword. They’re closely related in meaning and help your content cover the topic more thoroughly.

If your primary keyword is “content marketing strategy,” secondary keywords might include “how to build a content plan” or “content distribution channels.”

How to Find Secondary Keywords

Tools like LSIGraph, Surfer SEO, or Frase.io suggest semantically related terms based on your main keyword. Google’s “related searches” and “People Also Ask” boxes are also excellent sources.

You can find many of these keywords by analyzing what other terms top-ranking pages are using in their content, headings, and meta data.

How Secondary Keywords Boost SEO

Using secondary keywords increases your page’s semantic relevance. It helps you rank for multiple variations of the same topic and capture traffic from long-tail or question-based queries.

Google rewards content that satisfies a broader scope of user needs, and secondary keywords help you meet that expectation. This leads to better-ranking stability and organic growth over time.

4. Semantic Keywords (LSI Keywords)

Semantic keywords are contextually related phrases that help search engines understand the deeper meaning of your content. They go beyond exact matches and focus on theme relevance.

For example, if your primary keyword is “apple,” semantic terms could be “fruit nutrition” or “iPhone battery life” depending on the context. They clarify intent and help disambiguate similar terms.

How to Find Semantic Keywords

Use Google’s NLP API demo, Surfer SEO, or Frase to extract related phrases from top-ranking pages. These tools identify the terms Google associates with your topic.

Explore co-occurrence data using tools like TextRazor or LSI Graph, which analyze semantic proximity in search data.

How They Help with Relevance & Context

Semantic keywords enhance topical depth, improve user satisfaction, and reduce bounce rates. They’re especially important in a world of BERT and other natural language algorithms.

Google no longer just looks for keyword matches. it looks for concepts. Including semantically rich language in your content helps you meet this expectation and rank for a wider set of queries, even if they don’t exactly match your original keyword.

Types of Keywords by Target

Target-based keyword classification focuses on who the keyword is aimed at. Whether it’s branded search, competitor targeting, or local SEO, aligning keywords with specific audiences can significantly influence your SEO outcomes.

Branded vs. Unbranded Keywords

Branded keywords include a company or product name, like “Nike running shoes.” Unbranded keywords are generic, such as “best running shoes.”

Branded searches often show high trust and purchase intent. Unbranded keywords typically reach a broader audience at earlier stages of the funnel.

How to Identify Branded & Unbranded Keywords

Use tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, or Brand24 to track how often your brand appears in search queries. Branded keywords tend to show up in navigation or conversion reports.

Compare these to generic keywords with similar modifiers to assess opportunities for capturing new audiences.

When to Use Each Type

Branded keywords are ideal for brand protection and loyalty marketing, while unbranded terms help you expand your reach and win over customers in the awareness stage.

Optimizing for both ensures you remain visible across all stages of the customer journey. Studies from Nielsen suggest over 60% of users click on branded terms when they’re ready to convert, emphasizing their commercial value.

Competitor Keywords

Competitor keywords are phrases your rivals rank for but you don’t yet. Targeting these can help you capture market share and discover new content opportunities.

This approach is part of a broader content gap analysis that reveals where your SEO strategy might be falling short.

How to Find Your Competitors’ Keywords

Use Ahrefs’ Site Explorer, SEMrush Domain Overview, or SimilarWeb to analyze competitor domains. Look at their top-performing pages and extract keywords driving the most traffic.

Compare these to your own rankings to uncover gaps worth filling.

Should You Target Competitor Keywords?

Targeting competitor keywords is a smart way to grow visibility, especially if your content offers more value or a unique angle. It’s also a proactive way to stay competitive in fast-moving niches.

However, ensure your content is significantly better. otherwise, outranking established competitors may not be realistic. Use this tactic strategically, focusing on achievable wins first.

Geotargeted (Location-Specific) Keywords

Geotargeted keywords include city, region, or neighborhood names to attract local traffic. Phrases like “SEO agency in Toronto” or “best pizza NYC” are common examples.

These keywords are vital for businesses with physical locations or region-specific services.

How to Find Local Keywords

Use Google Business Profile insights, BrightLocal, or Google Trends to discover what local users search for. “Near me” queries are especially powerful and often trigger map packs or local results.

Check competitor listings, reviews, and local directories for additional inspiration.

Why They Are Crucial for Local SEO

Local SEO drives high-intent foot traffic. According to Google, 76% of people who search for something nearby visit a business within a day, and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.

By optimizing for location-specific keywords, you improve your chances of showing up in Google Maps, local packs, and voice searches. all of which significantly boost conversions for local businesses.

Product Keywords

Product keywords refer to specific items or models you offer. These are high-intent terms like “Canon EOS R6 camera” or “Asics Gel Kayano 28.”

They align perfectly with transactional intent and are often used on ecommerce pages, product reviews, or affiliate content.

How to Optimize for Product-Specific Keywords

Create dedicated product pages optimized with clear meta tags, structured data, and detailed descriptions. Use model numbers, sizes, variations, and customer reviews to enrich content.

Schema markup and user-generated content (like Q&A or testimonials) help enhance these pages for both search engines and users.

Why Keywords Matter for SEO

Keywords act as signals that help search engines understand what your content is about. They align your website with the topics people are actively searching for and ensure you show up in relevant results.

Without keywords, even high-quality content may go unnoticed because search engines won’t have enough context to categorize or rank it properly.

They influence everything from on-page SEO (titles, meta tags, headers) to technical aspects (URL structure, internal linking). Keywords also shape how users interact with your content, impacting dwell time, CTR, and bounce rate. all indirect ranking factors.

Modern search engines use machine learning and natural language processing to evaluate keyword use in context. This means your content must not only include keywords but also match the intent behind them.

According to Ahrefs, over 90% of content gets no traffic from Google and a major reason is that those pages don’t target the right keywords or don’t satisfy search intent.

How Keywords Influence Search Rankings

The presence, placement, and context of keywords directly affect how well a page ranks in search results. When used correctly, they help search engines index your page for the right topics and queries.

For example, placing the primary keyword in the title tag, H1, and URL improves its relevance signal. Using related and semantic keywords throughout the body adds depth and confirms the topical focus.

Google’s algorithms, especially RankBrain and BERT.  now prioritize contextual understanding over exact-match keywords. This makes the use of natural language, semantic coverage, and intent-aligned structure even more important.

Also, keywords influence the SERP features your content can appear in. For instance, using question-based long-tail queries increases your chances of showing up in featured snippets or People Also Ask sections.

A study from SEMrush found that pages in the top 3 positions used their target keyword in the title 85% of the time, reinforcing the impact of proper keyword optimization.

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How to Choose the Right Keywords for Your SEO Strategy

Choosing the right keywords involves more than just finding popular terms. It requires aligning keyword choices with user intent, business goals, content type, and competition level.

Tools to Find the Best Keywords

Several tools make the process easier. Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, and Ubersuggest all provide keyword volume, difficulty scores, and SERP insights. Google Search Console reveals what terms already bring traffic to your site.

Use these tools to evaluate:

• Search volume: Is the keyword worth the traffic?
  
• Keyword difficulty: Can you realistically rank for it?
  
• Search intent: Does the keyword match what your page offers?
  
• SERP features: What kind of content is Google promoting?
  

Cross-reference this data with your content goals. If your aim is traffic, look for informational or long-tail keywords. If it’s conversions, prioritize transactional or product-specific terms.

How to Check Keyword Search Intent

Analyze the top 10 results for a keyword. Are they blog posts, product pages, videos, or tools? This reveals what users expect to see.

You can also study SERP features:

• Featured Snippets signal an informational or question-based intent
  
• Product Listings and Shopping Ads indicate commercial or transactional intent
  
• Map Packs suggest a local or geotargeted query
  

Checking user intent ensures your content format and topic match expectations. Misalignment is one of the main reasons pages fail to rank, even with good keyword targeting.

Should You Target Every Type of Keyword?

Not necessarily. The best approach is to build a balanced keyword portfolio that includes:

• Informational content for awareness and authority
  
• Commercial and transactional content for conversions
  
• Long-tail and semantic variations for depth and ranking stability
  
• Branded and navigational terms for loyalty and trust
  

Choose keyword types that align with your content goals, whether that’s building traffic, improving visibility, or increasing sales.

A diversified keyword strategy ensures you attract users at every stage of the buyer’s journey, from curiosity to conversion.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Keywords are more than just search terms; they are strategic tools for discovery, engagement, and growth. From understanding different types of keywords to knowing how and when to use them, this knowledge is critical for modern SEO success.

By categorizing keywords by intent, length, SEO role, and target audience, you create a structured content plan that meets user needs and aligns with how search engines rank content.

Focus on intent alignment, semantic richness, and value delivery. This will help you rank for more queries, satisfy your audience, and ultimately drive better results.

As your next step, conduct a keyword audit of your current content. Identify gaps, repurpose underperforming pages, and plan new content clusters using the types of keywords outlined in this guide. Over time, this structured approach will elevate your topical authority, improve user engagement, and drive long-term organic growth.

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